The events of Sep. 11, 2001, brought to the fore concern for the safety of first responders such as firefighters. Firefighters and other first responders are often tasked with perilous duties. Contrary to widespread conception most firefighter fatalities do not die instantly when a building collapses or by being engulfed in flames. In fact, many firefighters succumb to heart failure brought about by the almost pathological combination of conditions of firefighting. Firefighters must work in heavy gear which although designed to protect them from the heat of fires also unfortunately serves to trap their own body heat which can lead to dehydration and accelerate physical exhaustion. In combination with the heavy gear the proximity of the fire causes further heating. At the same time, they are called on to perform strenuous tasks such as deploying heavy hoses, breaking through doors and walls and working hose lines under unpredictable emergency conditions. Moreover, in some cases they are subject to fumes and/or particulates in the air or must make due with breathing through Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). Although firefighters are well known for their physical fitness, nonetheless the combination of conditions tends to put them at risk for cardiac arrest or injury due to mistakes made more likely due to fatigue or exhaustion. It would be desirable to provide an automated system for managing the stress levels and conditions of first responders with the aim of reducing first responder injuries and fatalities.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.